Strade Bianche podium finisher Maxim Van Gils (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) won't be back to try and better his third place from last season as a "feverish infection" has kept him out of training and forced him to miss the Italian Classic.
His new team for 2025, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, announced that the Belgian would not be on their seven-rider roster for Saturday's race on the white roads of Tuscany, as he needs time to recover ahead of later goals at the Ardennes in April.
"On Saturday, Strade Bianche will write its next chapter. But one key protagonist will be missing from the Tuscan spectacle this year: Maxim Van Gils, who delivered a stunning performance to reach the podium last year, won’t be able to repeat his success," read a statement from the team.
"A feverish infection has sidelined him, forcing him to miss crucial training days. Health comes first – Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe is giving Maxim the time he needs to fully recover and return to top form."
Van Gils was due to start the 213-kilometre race as one of the favourites, alongside former winners Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers), after his impressive display to take third last year.
In his absence, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe still have a strong team, but it perhaps lacks the punch that their headline new signing for this season would have provided.
"The team is fielding four debutants: Roger Adrià and Tim Van Dijke are heading straight from the Opening Weekend to Tuscany, while Filip Maciejuk and Toni Palzer will also take on the white gravel for the first time," said Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe.
"Experience comes in the form of Gianni Moscon and Jan Tratnik – both last raced here in 2022. And for Jonas Koch, it’s a special moment: after his crash at the Volta ao Algarve, he makes his comeback."
Van Gils has already had some bad luck since he made the jump across the Red Bull, crashing out of his season debut at Etoile de Bessèges in a bizarre incident when a car got on the course.
He then returned with strong form at the Vuelta a Andalucia in February with his first stage win for the German team and fourth place on GC at the Spanish stage race.
Speaking to Cyclingnews before his return in Andalucia, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe were unsure of what his programme would look like in spring, with a possible appearance at Tirreno-Adriatico – which starts two days after Strade Bianche – now looking unlikely.
Whichever path Van Gils takes, however, his big goals were always at the Ardennes trio of Classics: Amstel Gold Race, Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Batsogne-Liège.
"There is still a little bit of a discussion to finalise his programme after missing some racing days, but everything is focused on the Ardennes," Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe Chief of Sport Rolf Aldag told Cyclingnews.
"He was third in Flèche and not far off the podium in Liège [fourth], so obviously, these are the big goals for him to start with."
